


a brother in need

by Mayarene Rose (Paradise_of_Mary_Jane)



Series: Whumptober 2019 [11]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Family, Gen, These two kids love each other really, land mines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-11-25 21:34:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20918975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paradise_of_Mary_Jane/pseuds/Mayarene%20Rose
Summary: “Don’t move.”Tim freezes, entire body going cold.“I stepped on one, didn’t I?” he says. Damian doesn’t answer. He doesn’t have to. Tim can hear the beeping.





	a brother in need

**Author's Note:**

> Day 12: "Don't Move"
> 
> Edit: Just to be clear, I did zero research while writing this fic. I was mostly going by rule of cool and I regret nothing.

“Don’t move.”

Tim freezes, entire body going cold. 

“I stepped on one, didn’t I?” he says. Damian doesn’t answer. He doesn’t have to. Tim can hear the beeping.

Land mines. Why did it have to be landmines? There is, objectively, a way to get through them unscathed but almost no one does. Someone always makes a mistake, or someone pushes them, or things just go wrong even when things should have gone right.

Tim looks up at Damian. Damian’s almost through. Damian looks terrified. Actually scared. It’s actually pretty funny, he thinks distantly. It’s the first time he’s seen the kid scared and it’s amazing that he’s scared for _Tim. _

“Stay still,” Damian says, voice shaking a little. They’ve both seen what’s gonna happen if Tim moves. “I will diffuse the bomb.”

“Uh no?” Tim twitches. He’s stuck in a half-crouch. It’s not the most comfortable position. He can hold it for a while but not for long. “That’s asking for trouble. You’re almost through. Just go. Get help.” He adds because he doesn’t want to make it sound like Damian’s just gonna leave him behind. They fight a lot sure, but he’s pretty sure the kid doesn’t want him dead anymore.

He won’t be able to get help, though. That’s what they get for going off on their own. Nightwing and Batman or anyone else who might be able to help them are beyond reach. 

Tim’s pretty much doomed. It’s such a stupid end after everything he’s been through but it is the way it is. It’s more important he doesn’t drag Damian down with him.

“Get out of here!” Tim says but Damian doesn’t listen to him. Of course he doesn’t. He’s a little shit.

Instead, Damian’s face hardens. He takes careful steps back towards Tim, retracing his footsteps exactly. It’s not a guarantee. It’s too easy to make a mistake and even if he doesn’t, even if he miraculously makes it back the way he came, there’s no guarantee Tim won’t fuck up. All it takes is one wrong move and boom. Gone forever.

And the thing about landmines? The thing about landmines is that if whoever designed them had half a brain, setting one off would mean setting another one off, and so on and so forth. Tim’s seen it happen already. It was an unsuspecting civilian who wouldn’t listen to the two heroes telling him to stop moving.

If Tim looks back, he can still see parts of him scattered across the field.

Damian was already out, at the edge of the trap the League left for them, and now he’s coming back. He’s coming back for Tim.

He’s going to get himself _killed _for Tim.

“Robin stop,” Tim says. Damian doesn’t even bother to react. His steps are slow but steady. He’s making his way towards Tim and Tim can’t let him do that. It’s a fundamentally bad idea to try and save Tim. Each second that passes, Damian gets further and further away from safety. Tim needs to stop him.

“Robin,” he says. “Damian. Damian stop. Damian turn back right now.”

“No names in the field, Red Robin,” Damian says. 

“_Damian!_”

“Be quiet,” Damian says. He’s almost in front of Tim, just a few paces away. Tim feels sick to his stomach. It’s harder to keep himself still. His hands are shaking.

“Damian just go,” he tries one last time. There’s almost no point to it. Damian’s too far. He’s practically in front of Tim already, standing next to a ticking time bomb.

Damian tuts. “You always give up so easily,” he says. He crouches down, knees brushing across the ground.

Tim swallows. “I know to back away from a fight I can’t win.”

“And that’s why you’re a failure,” Damian says. “Now stay still while I disarm this.”

Tim doesn’t really have a choice in the matter. Damian’s already brought out his tools and began fiddling with the mine. Tim holds his breath. His thighs are beginning to cramp but it’s not like he can move now.

“You could have just gone for help,” Tim mutters.

“We don’t know where Batman or Nightwing are,” Damian reminds him. “You don’t have that much time.”

“Neither do you,” Tim mutters. “You should have left.”

“I will not leave you here!” Damian says. He sounds hurt. The mine beeps louder. His hands shake. Tim closes his eyes.

“I know,” he says. “I’m sorry.”

Damian tuts again. Tim keeps his eyes closed because he can’t stand to watch this play out. He doesn’t want to try and figure out the odds of this going wrong. Any chance at all is too much of a chance. And their chances of survival are shrinking with each second.

His thighs are cramping. He’s barely stopping them from shaking. Damian is working too slowly but Tim can’t really blame him. Working on live bombs isn’t the kind of thing you rush, especially if your brother’s standing right on top of it.

Seconds tick by. Then, a minute. Then another. Tim’s arms are already trembling. Finally, he says,

“Damian. I can’t hold out much longer. You should _go._”

“I _told _you,” Damian says. “I’m not leaving you here. I’m almost finished. Just wait.”

“Just go,” Tim repeats. “There’s no reason for us both to die here.”

Damian ignores him. Tim clenches his jaw so he doesn’t end up screaming. Why does Damian have to be such a stubborn asshole? Why can’t he just do what he’s told for once? Just do what Tim tells him and save his own life?

Tim won’t have Damian’s blood on his hand. He refuses. But there’s nothing he can do about it, either, is there?

Story of his fuking life.

“Done!”

Tim’s eyes snap open. Damian doesn’t give him the chance to get his bearings. He pulls Tim upright.

“I told you!” Damian says, breathing heavily.

Thanks,” Tim says. He closes his eyes and lets out a shuddering breath. Okay. He can do this. He can keep it together until he and Damian get out of here. He can do this.

“Come on,” Damian says, leading him away from the bomb that almost killed him.

Tim follows.

**Author's Note:**

> yo, I'm acediscowlng on tumblr


End file.
